Music Of The Night
by Always Hopeful
Summary: COMPLETE! Someone is attacking those at Hogwarts in their dreams and Albus and Minerva need to find out who is doing it. If they don't, killings could multiply. Could they find who is behind these attacks and find true love in the process?
1. Colin's Attacked

Disclaimer: I do not own anything that deals with Harry Potter and all that. Anyhow..... I just wanted to say that I hope you all like this new story that I am posting. And don't worry; I am still working on Bring On The Rain (Harry Potter) and Disappearing (Labyrinth).

A/N: The plot bunnies were attacking me and felt that I just had to write this story. The plot bunnies have helped me write several others as well, but you'll have to wait for a while longer before I decide to put those up. Okay, buddies?

Strict. Disciplinary. Distant. Three words that nearly all students and even a few of the staff members might use to describe the Transfiguration teacher and Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall. She was always walking or sitting with a straight back, her face etched in what seemed like an eternal frown, and her hair forever in that ridiculously tight bun which gave most people a headache just looking at it.

But to those who knew her personally knew there was more to her than meets the eye. That stern, cold vibe she gave off was just a façade. It was just a mask; an act she felt she was forced to put on from the moment she left her rooms in the morning until the time she returned to her bed at night. It was only by herself or with her closest friends she had allowed herself to shed this masquerade as one sheds his or her clothes and be free. Even if it was for just a short time each day.

She had gotten so used to tricking others into believing she was a stone wall with her emotions that she often times fooled herself as well. But after a lifetime of heartbreak and disappointment, she felt she had no choice but to protect her heart from that final blow that could kill her.

Only her two best friends, Poppy Pomphrey and Xiomara Hooch, knew the love she secretly held for their boss, Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts and defeater of Grindlewald. It was possible that they knew before even Minerva knew herself. But when Minerva finally did realize it, she forbade Poppy and Xiomara from telling anyone- especially Albus. The pain of rejection from yet another man would prove to be just too great. She was not yet ready to lose their strong friendship from the fact that she was unloved. Not again... Not after what her last encounter with a man.

She sighed heavily as she leaned against her now closed her bedroom door. They had just had their farewell dinner and tomorrow morning, the students will all be gone. Normally, she would watch from the Astronomy Tower as the distant train carried her students away. But this year, several of her seventh years had asked her to wave to them from the platform. She didn't want to disappoint them, especially since she had really enjoyed having a few of them as students.

Making her way to her private bathroom, she shrugged off her outer robes, leaving nothing but a silk, black undergarment that stopped just above her knees. Because she was so tired, she didn't bother to pick up her dirty robes, leaving them, instead, on the floor. She'd pick them up after a long, relaxing bath.

She walked into her bathroom and turned on the tub faucet to full blast. Steam started to slowly rise up as water landed in the tub. This was, indeed, a most welcoming sight. Minerva removed the silky slip and then the pins that contained her hair for the better part of her life. Her ebony hair cascaded down her back, streaks of grey lining mainly the front. She was just about to remove the last of her undergarments when she heard a knock on her door. Her face fell in disappointment as she looked at the tub, now full with streaming hot water. Sighing heavily, she regretfully turned the faucet off, wrapped her pink robe around her body, and headed for the door.

"Who is it?" she called.

"Minerva? Minerva, quickly. Open up, hurry!" A blush crept slowly up her cheeks as she recognized the voice of Albus. But she paid no heed to it as she quickly opened the door.

"My goodness, Albus, what is it?" she asked. Albus thanked his lucky stars he had a long beard and hair, for it now served as a great shield to the blush that rose at the sight of Minerva in a robe.

"You need to come with me, and quickly!" he exclaimed.

"What has happened?" Minerva inquired as she followed him down the hall. She noticed he was not looking at her as they rushed past students, all of whom were really frightened. Perhaps she shoes a wrong time to take a bath!

"There has been an attack on a student," Albus said. They rounded a corner and walked quickly down the hall. Minerva noticed they were heading for the Gryffindor tower. Her heart skipped a beat.

"An attack?" she breathed. "But Albus, the Dark Lord has been defeated!"

"Not him," said Albus. "Another has attacked Colin."

"Colin Creevy has been attacked?" gasped Minerva. Albus said nothing, but looked at her worriedly. Then, he turned his attention to the hallway ahead of them. Minerva couldn't believe that Colin had been attacked... especially on his graduation night. "How did it happen?"

"Colin says it happened in his dreams," said Albus. "Apparently, a dark figure entered his dreams and commanded him to kill. Colin, of course, refused. And when the figure threatened to kill hi, Colin ran away. In his dream, he was running through a forest. He was almost in the clearing when he was hit from behind, dropping him to the ground. This caused him to gall into a series of convulsions." By now, they had reached the Fat Lady's portrait. Albus muttered the password and they entered.

"In fact, that was how one of the other boys found him," Albus continued, allowing Minerva to enter before him. "Convulsing in his bed."

"Poor boy," sighed Minerva. She looked around and saw several students pacing. As soon as the students laid eyes on the newcomers, they rushed up to them and fired many questions at them at a time.

"Children, children, please calm down!" called Minerva. Everyone looked at her, fright clear in their eyes. It pained her to see her students, her precious cubs, scared to the point of panic.

"Are they going to come after all of us, Professor McGonagall?" inquired Ginny Weasly, another seventh year. Minerva just turned to her, her eyes softening slightly.

"I do not know, Miss Weasly," she admitted. "The best thing you can do right now is just sit here and wait for either Professor Dumbledore or myself to come back down and debrief you on the situation." With that, she went up to the boy's dormitory, followed closely by Albus.

"I think you dealt with that magnificently, Minerva," he commented.

"Thank you, Albus," she replied.

"You truly are a mother to those children! You look after them as if they were your own."

"I sometimes wish one of them were," whispered Minerva. Albus was very intrigued by his last comment, but had no time to respond or question her about it, for they had reached Colin Creevy's room. Poppy Pomphrey, Xiomara Hooch, Sylvia Sprout, and Severus Snape were already there. Poppy was busy caring for Colin as he lay in his bed, appearing almost lifeless (save for his rantings). Xiomara and Sylvia were condoling two of Colin's closest friends, and Severus was busy brewing a potion.

"What is the latest, Poppy?" Minerva inquired, walking over to the bed. Her friend recognized her robe, but made no comment when meeting Minerva's warning glare.

"He's been shaken pretty bad, but I'm sure he'll make it through the night okay. I should take him to the hospital wing so he can rest there." Minerva nodded.

"Have his parents been notified, Albus?" questioned Xiomara.

"Yes, I have sent Hagrid to the owlrey with the letter," Albus replied.

"What are you brewing, Severus?" Minerva asked, looking at the potions master and Head of Slytherin house.

"A sleeping drought," he replied, bringing a small wile of purple liquid. "Very heavy sleeping drought." He handed the vile to Poppy, who nodded and force fed it to the delusional boy, who kept ranting about a scary man after him. Almost instantly, he collapsed on his pillow and slipped into dreamland.

"And he's out," smiled Poppy, sighing with relief. "You added the ingredient to ensure him a dreamless sleep, right, Severus?" She checked the boyes pulse as she asked this.

"Of course I did, woman," huffed Severus, folding his arms and rolling his eyues. Poppy simply ignored him, levitated the now sleeping teen, and carried him down the steps and out of the Gryffindor common room. Minerva rubbed her eyes.

"You look tired, my dear," said Albus.

"I am," sighed Minerva.

"You look like hell," commented Severus. Minerva glared at him.

"Thank you, Severus," she spat.

"He's got a point, though, Min," Sylvia chimed in. "It seems you've been growing more tired and pale each time I see you."

"I just... haven't been getting enough sleep lately," sighed Minerva, standing up. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed. Good night to you all." With that, she swiftly left and headed for her room.

When she entered her bathroom, she noticed the water was no longer as hot as she would have wanted it to be. Sure, it was fairly warm, but all the steam was gone. Cursing her luck, she grabbed her wand from where she'd left it on her bed, went back to the tub, and muttered a heating spell. Once it had reached the precise temperature she desired, she set her wand down again, threw off her robe, took off the remaining undergarments, and lowered herself into the tub. It felt so good. She hadn't realized until just then how tired, or how tense, she really was. But it all came from worrying like a mother hen.

She sighed again. She really did want a child. And though she was well into her eighties, she knew she was still capable of having children. You see, people age at a much slower rate than those in the muggle realm. So Minerva was still capable of child-bearing, though her time to do so was shrinking quickly. True, she was no spring chicken. But as everyone knew, Minerva Katherine McGonagall was very strong, both physically and emotionally, for a woman her age.

She leaned her head back as she remembered the one factor that had stopped her from having the child she desperately wanted. She was unmarried. She was, after all, a lady, and would never become involved in a passionate relationship unless she had two rings on her finger: one with a diamond (no matter how big or small), and one gold.

Sadly, there was only one man she wanted... and he was not in love with her. This filled her heart with great sadness. Getting out of the tub and wrapping a towel around herself, she began to tear up. She loved him, but he didn't love her. What was she to do?

**To be continued.....**


	2. Albus' Dream

Disclaimer: I own nothing dealing with Harry Potter and all that.

A/N: I just wanted to say thank you very much to all those who have reviewed. And yes, this is also one of my favorite songs, Music of the Night. I love the whole Phantom of the Opera story and the music is just awesome. And this song in particular seemed to fit this story outline really well. Anywho, here we go. On with the story.

Albus entered his room, feeling tired. He suddenly felt every one of his one hundred and sixty-two years. But it wasn't just the fact that it was nearing midnight that made him so tired. It was her-Minerva Katherine McGonagall, his deputy headmistress. She filled his mind nearly every second of every day. Her face was entrancing, her movements graceful, and her voice melodious. When she said his name, he immediately felt weak in the knees. Of all the things he'd done and said in his life, he'd never felt as powerless as when she spoke to him.

It was as if he was the puppet and she was the puppeteer-wherever she pulled him, he would go. He had loved her for so many decades, but never said a word, for if he could have nothing else, he wanted her friendship. But it sure wasn't easy for him to keep it all inside. Especially after he saw her in nothing but a muggle robe. It was all he could do to keep his mind clear and tell her of the trouble.

He quickly changed into his sleeping robes and dropped sleepily into his bed. He closed his eyes and images of her beautiful face played in his minds eye. After several minutes, those images blended easily into a happy dream as Albus fell into a deep, deep sleep.

Albus' dream

In his dream, Albus was walking through the woods, sunlight breaking in beams through the high treetops. Nature's scent swirled merrily around his nose, bringing a smile to his now relaxed face. Birds sang happily while squirrels gathered nuts along the ground, their dance never changing yet ever fresh.

As he made his way through the forest, he could hear his name being called in the distance. It was soft at first, but steadily grew clearer as he moved closer to a clearing. He knew that voice! It was the sweet voice of his dear Minerva, beckoning for him to come closer.

His pace quickened in his haste to see her. He wanted to see her, to touch, smell, and feel her. Soon, he broke into a slow but steady run, pushing back tree branches and dodging numerous bushes until he reached the clearing. There, in the middle of the clearing, stood his deputy headmistress. Her hair was no longer in its usual bun. Instead, it flowed freely down her back, the grey streaks only intensifying her ebony locks. A single white flower decorated the right side, though it paled in comparison to her.

Her lips, Albus thought, shamed that of the red rose. Her skin reminded him of porcelain. In place of her usual emerald green robes were blue ones, which matched his eyes to the shade. They clung tightly to her slim figure, hugging every curve.

But her eyes had bewitched him almost instantly. Her beautiful, piercing green eyes were soft and kind, seeming to speak with a passion beyond comprehension.

"Hello," was all Albus could say. Minerva's smile was warm and affectionate.

"Hello, stranger," she said, holding out her arms to him. He didn't ask questions, nor did he wonder why. It just felt right. He simply walked right into her loving embrace, holding her close to him and smelling her sweet scent. It was the most intoxicating scent he'd ever smelt in his life-a wonderful blend of cinnamon and apples. Oh, how he wished he could just bottle that scent and keep it on his person at all times.

He pulled back to look at her beautiful face again, but was mortified at what he saw. Minerva's face had changed. Instead of the beautiful face that had haunted so many of his dreams, there was now just a skull with little flesh left. Albus couldn't help but let out a small gasp.

"What's wrong, Albus?" the skull hissed. It was Minerva's voice, yes, but it was full of anger and pain. "Don't you love me anymore, ALBUS?" she cried. Albus was scared and hurt by her harsh words. He took a few steps back, right arm in defense.

"Of course I do, Minerva," he said.

"Then why do you cower before me?" shot Minerva, her voice high pitched now.

"Yes, I love you! I love you! I do, I do!" cried Albus. The once beautiful clearing was not dark and full of thorns.

"You do not love me! You lie! Liar, liar, liar!" she cried.

"Yes I do!" shouted Albus. "I love you, I love you. Why won't you believe me?"

"Because, Albus!" A mans voice rang out, and seemed to be coming from everywhere. Albus looked around, frantic. "You are nothing but an old man, incapable of love." Albus kept up his wild search. He knew that voice, why did he know that voice? It sounded so familiar, and yet so strange.

"Who are you and what do you want?" cried Albus, running the entirety of the clearing, searching for that unfamiliar voice. Suddenly, it was all darkness and he stopped, shaking violently.

"You know what I want," drawled the deep voice. A spotlight appeared on his precious Minerva, who was back to her normal state. "Surrender Hogwarts to me and you can be with Minerva!"

"And if I do not?" inquired Albus, keeping his eyes on the only one who had captured his heart. Yes, he loved her and would gladly give up anything and everything just to be with her. But he wasn't about to give up Hogwarts to someone who was obviously an enemy.

"If you do not...." At this, an invisible force pulled Minerva into the air, making her disappear. "... I shall simply eliminate her. Along with everyone else you hold dear."

"No! No!" cried Albus. He cried out to Minerva, though he knew she probably couldn't hear him. "I love you! I love you!"

End Dream

"Albus! Albus!" He awoke with a start as he heard his name being called. As his vision cleared, he saw Minerva, worry painted all over her face.

"Minerva?" he whispered.

"Oh, Albus, you had us all worried," she breathed. It was only then that he looked around and saw Poppy, Severus, Xiomara, and Sylvia, all staring at him worriedly as well.

"Oh, um..." Albus stuttered, wiping the sweat that had accumulated on his face. "I had a dream."

"A dream?" questioned Severus. Albus nodded and proceeded to tell his dream. Well, not the dream in its entirety. He just told of the last part, the part in which the mysterious man (undoubtedly the same one that had invaded Collin's dreams) had threatened to kill him and his loved ones unless he surrendered Hogwarts.

"Oh, Albus," sighed Xiomara. "That is just horrible."

"I can't believe he threatened those I am close to like that," said Albus. "Thank you, Poppy." The medi-witch smiled as she placed a wet towel on his head.

"Yes, we were rather curious about those outbursts," frowned Severus.

"Outbursts?" squeaked Albus.

"Yes," said Sylvia. "You were screaming things like, 'No!' and 'I love you!' Who were you talking about?" At this point, Albus felt the blood drain from his face. What was he going to say? He couldn't admit to have been talking about Minerva.

"Erm, my... my mother," he lied. "In my dream, my mother was still alive."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Albus," sighed Minerva. Taking the cloth and dabbing his face with it. He smiled, glad to have her near him.

"I am fine, Minerva, honestly," he said.

"I think you should come with me to the hospital wing," said Poppy.

"No, no, Poppy," he said. "I shall be fine."

"Then what was the point of hiring me if you won't let me do my job?" she huffed.

"Because I am fine," said Albus. Poppy just rolled her eyes at him.

"Fine, just don't blame me if that sweating causes you to get sick!"

"Well, if there is nothing you need me for, I am going to bed," said Xiomara.

"Right behind you," called Sylvia. Severus bowed and left as well.

"Are you going to bed, Min?" asked Poppy.

"Yes, in a minute," Minerva replied. Poppy smiled her all-knowing smile, nodded, and left. Albus' heart soared when Minerva had decided to stay behind.

"There is no need for you to stay with me, Minerva," he said. Minerva smiled.

"I just want to make sure you get back to sleep, Albus," she said. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly.

"Thank you, Minerva. You have once again proved to e a great friend." Minerva smiled again. The touch of his hand on hers made her stomach flip several times in succession. They talked for several more hours until they fell asleep, side by side, in Albus' bed.

**To be continued...**

A/N2: There, that is the end of chapter two! There is still more to come. Hope you liked it. Later much peoples.


	3. All Shook Up

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. All I own is the plot. Cheers!

A/N: I wanted to say that I really appreciate the reviews I have been getting. I hope you like this chapter as well. There have been a few things I was not sure of, but I hope you find it to your satisfaction. Buh bye.

When Minerva woke the next morning, she noticed something was different. Her bed felt warmer than usual. Then, it registered to her that she wasn't in her own bed. Instead, she was laying on her right side, her back pressed against someone else. A strong arm was wrapped around her waist, soft yet firm at the same time.

Her eyes shot open when she remembered falling asleep in Albus' bed the night before. Could Albus actually be holding her? She mentally slapped herself for even hoping for such a thing. She knew it was foolish of her to think he could have any sort of feelings for her, other than friendship.

She gently lifted his arm from her stomach, regretting every second. She then laid it down on his side, removed the blanket that covered her, and, with a heavy heart, got out of the bed. She smoothed out her night wear and was about to place her hair in her usually tight bun when a voice stopped her.

"You should keep your hair down today, Minerva." Minerva turned slowly to face Albus, who was now propped up on one elbow, staring at her. "It looks nice." Minerva felt a blush creep up from her neck to her cheeks, so she turned away from him quickly.

"Oh, Albus," she said. "You're just saying that, you shameless flatter." She heard Albus chuckle and climb out of his bed. She faced him and laughed at the sight in front of her. There stood the greatest wizard of all time with his beard in a frizzy knot and his hair sticking in all directions.

"Albus, hahaha..." she laughed. "You look simply ridiculous!" Albus looked at his beard and hair and couldn't suppress a chortle as well.

"It seems my hair has gotten to be a little too much for me to handle, my dear," he said. He grabbed a comb and began to brush his beard out.

"I guess I'll leave you to your grooming, Albus," said Minerva. "I promised some of my students I'd see them off at the platform."

"Oh, alright," said Albus. "And Minerva, thank you very much for staying with me last night. It really meant a lot to have a friend of so many years to lean on. I haven't had anyone do that for me in a long time." Minerva smiled.

"You're welcome, Albus. I know you would have done the same for me if you could." With that, she left.

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"Good bye, Professor!" shouted Ginny s she waved.

"I'll miss you, Professor McGonagall!" exclaimed Colin, waving as well. "I'll come back and visit!"

"Good bye, kids! Keep in touch! And be safe!" Minerva waved to the children until the train was almost out of sight. She sighed and bowed her head. Too many times had her students promised to visit and stay in touch and too many times they had let her down. She had stayed in touch with few, and that was because they had joined the Order. And even now, the Order had very few urgent meetings. Since the defeat of Voldemort, hardly anything happened.

She turned and headed for the castle again. She was nearly there when suddenly, she began to feel very lightheaded. Stopping, she felt her body sway slightly. Then her knees gave in and she fell to the floor. Minerva lay on the ground, shaking violently. She tried to scream out for help, but nothing seemed to come out. Seconds passed that seemed like minutes until Minerva felt someone next to her.

Albus had been about to fetch his deputy headmistress for their usual end-of-term meeting when he saw her coming up the hill and nearing the castle. He called her name a few times, but she didn't seem to hear him. Perhaps she is just very distracted, he thought. But his heart, along with everything else around him, stood still when he saw her fall to the ground and began to shake. He ran, quickly closing the distance between them, and fell to his knees beside her.

"Minerva? Minerva! Please, Minerva, come back to me. Speak tome, please!" he begged. He brushed aside a few of her lose hairs, but Minerva's body continued to twitch. Albus didn't know what to do. The woman he loved more than life itself was now sweating and convulsing, and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. So he quickly levitated her body and took her to the hospital.

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"Oh gods, Albus! What has happened?" asked Poppy when Albus came through the door with her friend, looking like she had been hit with an Unforgivable Curse.

"I don't know," huffed Albus, placing Minerva on a nearby cot. "She just dropped, suddenly, and hasn't stopped since." Poppy had already checked her pulse and was in the process of checking her eyes.

"Let me do a diagnostics test," she said. She took her wand and cast a number of spells on her friend. After another five minutes, Albus heard Poppy say something he'd never heard her say before. "Bloody Hell!"

"What's wrong, Poppy?" asked Albus, wringing his hands. The medi witch looked at him, scared. She ran to her medicine cupboard and pulled out a vile of glowing pink potion. Albus knew that potion, and it made his heart sink to think Minerva needed it. It was a medicine that was to be used only when someone was extremely ill.

"Poppy, what is wrong?" he asked.

"Albus, she has come down with a rare disease. It is so rare, they haven't come up with a name for it because there have only been two known cases of it in the world. It is a type of cancer that has only one cure, but I don't know what that is. The records had been thrown out because it was so long ago and the disease was thought to be totally eliminated. I don't know how she could've contracted it, for it is not native to England. The only other place I've seen it was in Asia, where I worked for two years before coming here." She injected the potion into Minerva's arm, and almost instantly the twitching stopped. Minerva's eyes closed and she fell asleep.

"I don't understand," frowned Albus. "If it's native to Asia, it's nearly impossible that-," He was cut off when he remembered the words of the mysterious man in his dreams. "It's that man! Whoever wants Hogwarts is attacking those I love!" Poppy looked at him, wide-eyed.

"You love Minerva?" she asked. Albus bit his lower lip and avoided Poppy's gaze. "Albus...."

"That can never be revealed to Minerva, or the rest of the staff," said Albus. "Especially if the man is attacking like he said he would. The attacks would only increase, both in frequency and intensity. I know the kind. He'll make the attacks worse, possibly even killing her. Please, Poppy, don't tell her." Poppy nodded.

"I won't," she said. She came around and touched his arm. "But you should. You'll never know what you can accomplish with words. She'll be fine, once she's had some sleep. At least, I hope she will. I'm not entirely sure of how long she'll have this. Without that cure, I honestly can't say. And when she does wake up in an hour or so, it might be nice to see a friendly face. Perhaps one with blue eyes?" She smiled and walked for the door, telling Albus she would inform the rest of the staff on what had happened.

Albus then looked down at the sleeping figure that lay before him. Yes, he would tell her. As soon as she woke up, he would talk to her.

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Minerva awoke slowly a few hours later, feeling well-rested. But as the events that had occurred earlier filled her mind, horror flowed through her body. She opened her eyes and shot up quickly and looked around.

"Minerva, are you alright?" asked Albus, running to her bed. She looked at him, relieved to see his familiar face. A smile spread across her face.

"Of course I am, Albus," she said. She attempted to climb out of the bed, but Albus forced her down.

"You must rest some more, my dear," he said.

"But Albus, I am sick and tired of resting," protested Minerva. "I have slept well and now I just want to get back up." She tried to force herself back up, but Albus managed to keep her down until she quit fighting him. "Oh, Albus, you are absolutely insufferable," she sighed.

"And you, my dear, are quite possibly the most stubborn woman I've ever met," rebuked Albus. He smiled. "But that is what I admire about you." Minerva blushed.

"Why, erm, thank you, Albus," she managed to breath out, not looking at him. If he hadn't added that last comment, she would've been just fine. But she never thought he admired her. She was brought back from her thoughts when she felt his hand on her own. She looked at their hands, and then at him.

"Minerva, I have something to tell you..."

**To be continued...**

A/N2: What will happen? Will he tell her? Dun dun dun! You'll just have to wait until the next chapter to find out! Hehe, aren't I a stinker? Always Hopeful


	4. I Love You

Disclaimer: I do not own anything dealing with Harry Potter and all that.

A/N: I am so sorry that I have not been updating any of my stories because.... Well, I don't really have a good reason except lack of inspiration. Anywho, my muse, Professor McGonagall, has hit me over the head a few times and I finally knew what to write

**Warning: Complete Fluff ahead!**

Albus couldn't believe his rotten luck! 'I'm nothing but a dundering buffoon,' he thought. He burst through his office door, slammed it shut, then leaned against it for support. How could he not tell her that he loved her?

_**Flashback...**_

_"Minerva, there's been something I've been meaning to tell you..." he had said. She looked at him, those beautiful green eyes burning into his._

_"Yes, Albus?" she asked. There was a source of hope in her eyes._

_"Well, you see... It's rather difficult for me to say," he said/_

_"You can tell me anything, Albus, you know that," she told him, squeezing his hand reassuringly. That gave him an extra surge of comfort and courage. He felt he could tell her anything._

_"Well, the thing I wanted to tell you is-"_

_"Oh thank goodness you are alright, Min," exclaimed Xiomara, rushing through the hospital door and rushing to her friend's side. "I was so scared when I heard you had just dropped to the ground like that!"_

_"I assure you, I am fine," said Minerva. "Now, if you'll excuse us, I believe Albus was trying to tell me something."_

_"No, no, it's quite alright," said Albus, standing up. "It's not really urgent. I suppose I'll just have to tell you another time." Just then, Poppy entered with Severus, Sylvia, and Filius Flitwick._

_"Oh, good, you're up," Poppy smiled. "Hagrid is on his way with some newly cut roses for you. I daresay, he was at his wits end about you."_

_"I do hope they are not those snapping roses again," Minerva said, trying to hide her disappointment of not being able to speak with Albus alone. "When he gave them to me at St. Mungo's, I nearly lost my face."_

_"No need for worry there, Min," said Xiomara._

_"Well, I really should go," said Albus. "I need to, um, answer some letters."_

_"Oh, okay," said Minerva, disappointed now clear on her face._

_"I'll see you all at supper," he said. Then, he left._

_**End Flashback...**_

Albus sat slumped in his chair in front of the fireplace, staring at it intently. He was a coward and he knew it. After all he had done in his life, he would not face this one woman who haunted his dreams. And for this, he mentally scolded and slapped himself. Even if she did not return his love, she deserved to know.

After many more tests had been completed, Poppy was forced to let Minerva leave the infirmary, though she had made it clear she wasn't too happy about it. So Minerva made her way through the nearly empty halls, thinking about Albus. What was it that he had wanted to tell her? If only Xiomara hadn't burst through the doors at that particular moment, then perhaps...

Minerva shook her head. She was much too old to indulge in such childish fantasies. He was probably just going to tell her about some ministry meeting or to ask her advice on a matter concerning Fudge. Still, it must've been of some importance, for she sensed some urgency in his eyes. So, she made her mind up to go to his office and find out what he wanted to tell her by going to his office and asking him.

"Come in," called Albus when he heard a knock on his office door. The handle turned and Minerva walked through it.

"Hello, Albus," she smiled. "I do hope I am not interrupting anything." Albus jumped to his feet.

"Oh, hello, Minerva," he said. "No, you have not interrupted anything, my dear. I was just thinking and enjoying the warmth of my fireplace. Care to join me, my dear?" He motioned to the chair next to him. She nodded and sat, as did he. For a few moments, they simply sat there in silence, neither one knowing what to say. Minerva finally spoke up.

"So, Albus," she said. "What was it you wished to discuss with me? I sensed it was quite important."

"Well, Minerva, it is," said Albus, casting his eyes downward and wringing his hands. He was quite surprised to see a second pair of hands- her hands- cover his. It was then he looked up and saw her looking down at him. Oh, how those lovely eyes made him weak in the knees. She bent down in front of him.

"Please, tell me Albus," she pleaded. "I can see you are carrying such a heavy burden on your shoulders. If it is about my cancer, do not despair. Poppy has explained it all to me and, while it does scare me quite a bit, I've accepted it."

"Oh, Minerva," said Albus, tears forming in his eyes. "You are so brace and strong. I do not think I could be that strong if I knew I had something similar." Minerva smiled and placed a hand on his cheek.

"Yes, you would. A lot of people depend on you, and I know you would not let them down. I am not about to let this sickness get the best of me." Albus was somehow not entirely convinced at what she had said, for he could see something in her eyes that had betrayed her. Was it sorrow, fear, or anger? Could it be all three? He did not know. But whatever it was, he wanted to kiss it away. Though he wasn't entirely sure how he had done it, he had managed to refrain from doing so. "Are you ever going to let me know?"

"Yes, Minerva, I shall tell you," said Albus after a long pause. "You deserve to know." He stood and pulled her up with him, never letting go of her hands. Looking deeply into her eyes, he knew he was doing the right thing. "You see, Minerva... For more than fifty years, now, I... have held certain feelings for you that have been beyond friendship. Feelings that should not have developed, but have." He stopped suddenly when he saw the shock in her eyes. He immediately let go of her hands, expecting her to run away.

"A-Are you saying that... you... love me, Albus?" Minerva asked, still not sure she was hearing what she had hoped to for many years.

"Well, yes, I do believe I am," he said. "I wouldn't blame you for hating me forever for it." Minerva broke into tears.

"Oh, Albus," she sobbed, wiping her eyes.

"Minerva, I-I'm sorry," Albus said quickly. "Honestly, I meant no harm by what I said."

"No, no, you don't understand," said Minerva, now smiling through her tears. "I'm not crying because you've offended me. I'm crying because you've made me so happy. Albus, I love you too," she said. Albus felt a wave of shock roll over him, followed quickly by a wave of relief. She loved him too. He smiled broadly and immediately enveloped her in a warm embrace. She hugged him tightly and snuggled her head gladly onto his chest. Albus inhaled her scent, which was the same as it had been in his dream... Cinnamon and apples.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear you say that, my love," Albus breathed, rubbing small circles on her back.

"I highly doubt that, Albus," Minerva smiled. Albus pulled back and stared lovingly at her. "I've loved you since my seventh year, during my animageous training," she admitted sheepishly. Albus brought her face down so he was merely inches away.

"Then you should've said something. It would have saved time."

"I could say the same thing about you," replied Minerva, her breath becoming shorter. Instead of saying anything, Albus kissed her gently on the lips, his arms still on the small of her back. It wasn't until Minerva wrapped her arms around his neck that he dared to increase the intensity of the kiss. Pulling her closer, he opened his mouth and ran his tongue across her bottom lip, begging for entrance. Minerva hesitated, but only for a moment before responding. She granted him access, allowing her tongue to slip pat his. They both explored the others mouth, savoring the taste of the other. Only when the need for oxygen came about did they reluctantly tear themselves apart.

"I've been waiting a long time to do that," breathed Minerva, chuckling slightly, her arms still wrapped around his neck. Her fingers were entwined in his hair, and a few pins had come lose in her bun. Albus smiled and rested his forehead against hers.

"So have I, Tabby," he said. "So have I." They walked into his private chambers and sat on his couch, talking and laughing about the irony of it all. When the embers of the fire finally died out, Albus walked Minerva back to her room. It was nearing midnight, so they were sure no one else in the castle would see them. They stopped in front of her door and indulged in one more hug and soft kiss.

"So, I shall see you tomorrow at breakfast, correct?" smiled Minerva.

"Of course, dear," Albus replied.

"Good night, Albus my love," smiled Minerva opening her bedroom door and entering.

"'Till then, Minerva, my dear goddess of wisdom," he replied. And just like that, her door was closed and he was left with only the memory of the first sweet kiss to last him until the morning.

Unbeknownst to the two lovebirds, a pair of eyes rested on the scenes afore mentioned. No, they were not the eyes of the warm, loving, caring eyes of Xiomara or Sylvia; nor were they the all knowing eyes of Poppy; and no, it was not even the angry, cold stone stare of Severus. No, it was none of them, for they were all sleeping soundly7 in their beds.

Those eyes were eyes that spoke of absolute hatred and scorn. They were the eyes of one who had spoken to Colin Creevy, telling him to kill. The one who spoke to Albus in his dream, telling him to beware. The same one who, tonight (in a few moments, actually), would speak to Minerva, to tell her.... Yes, tell her...

A/N2: Hi there. I hope that everyone liked that chapter. I sure enjoyed writing it. I know, it was kinda fluffy, but hey.... I really enjoy fluff. Fluff is good. S'good! Hehehe. Enjoy!


	5. Minerva's Dream

Disclaimer: If you honestly think that I own any of this, then you are seriously mistaken and need to be shot on the spot!

A/N: I am sorry for the delay but now I can say that I am officially on Thanksgiving break and will try as hard as I possibly can to update more often, if I can. But like I said in earlier chapters, I can't promise anything. But the good news is that I am only down to two fics that I need to work on, seeing how I have finished Bring On The Rain already. For those of you who have read that one as well, I certainly hope that you liked it and will continue to read this one as well. Now all I need to do is finish this one and Disappearing. Though, I do not know how long this one shall be. Keep reading. Have Fun!

Minerva fell back onto her pillow, feeling as happy and as giddy as a schoolgirl who has just been asked to the Yule Ball. Albus had said he loved her, and she now felt all was right with the world. She then rolled over on her side and, with a huge grin on her face, she fell asleep, hoping for sweet dreams of her beloved.

----Minerva's Dream----

A thick fog had settled over the grounds of Hogwarts. It was nearly impossible to see within an inch in front of one's nose. You could almost cut the fog with a knife.

Minerva stepped out of the great big doors of the castle and was immediately chilled to the bone. She pulled her cloak tighter around her and continued to walk for the lake. She wasn't sure why she had to go, but she was suddenly feeling herself being drawn to it.

She pulled out her wand and murmured, "Lumos!" Light emitted from the tip of it, allowing her to see at least five feet in front of her. For five minutes, she walked quickly in the direction of the lake, hoping her brisk pace could help her warm up a bit. When she finally reached the lake's edge, she didn't know what to do. For now, the fog seemed to disappear from everywhere except for around her knees and down. All along the ground, thick blankets of fog laid, only disturbed by her presence. Even this slight disturbance seemed to be forgotten once she passed, in which case it would go back to its original spot.

Luckily, she found the dock safely and with little, if any, trouble. Without knowing what else to do, she simply stood there, staring off into the distance. What she was looking at, she did not know. Why? She did not care. All she knew was that something was forcing her to stay there, watching...waiting...listening. Then, there it was.

"Minerva? Where are you, Minerva?" It was the sad cry of a man. A man she loved; THE one she loved. "Where are you, Tabby?" he called softly and slowly.

"I'm here Albus! I'm here!" she called, turning around in a circle. By the time she had completed a full 360 degree circle, anticipation was flowing through her body. "Albus, please show yourself to me!" There was silence. Then...

There you are, Tabby." Minerva spun around, causing the fog to disperse in every direction. But she wasn't thinking about the fog, for standing a few feet away from her was...

"Albus," she smiled. She rushed to him, arms open. She smiled as she fell into his strong arms. She was reminded of lemon drops and hot chocolate as she inhaled his heavenly scent. His robes were of midnight blue and, in her opinion, brought out a startling contrast to his bright blue eyes. This was her consensus as she puled back and looked at him.

"Oh, Albus," she purred. "I am so glad we have admitted our love for each other. The only regret I have is that we didn't find out sooner. We have both been rather naive." She said the last part with a slight chuckle. Yet, the slight chuckle died down when she saw Albus' face grow angry.

"The only regret?" she heard him say. "Only ONE regret?"

"Albus?" asked Minerva, feeling confused. "What-?"

"Any MORE regrets?" shouted Albus.

""Albus, that's not what I meant and you know it!" hissed Minerva.

"Then what DID you meant?" growled Albus. The mist around them was now swirling fiercly, creating a tornado like wind around the,.

"Albus, stop it!" cried Minerva, closing her eyes. The wind was strong, nearly toppling her over. She opened her eyes again when she felt his hands grab her wrists. His face was so close to hers, she could feel his breath on her face.

"You silly woman," he drawled. That voice- she knew it wasn't Albus' voice. It was someone else's voice. "How could I love you? You're not good enough!"

Before Minerva could choke out her reply, he shoved her, causing her to stumble back and fall off the deck. She landed with a splash into the lake, the water totally surrounding her. The water was ice cold and seemed to poke her like a thousand needles. By the time she resurfaced, she had somehow transformed into her animagus form of a cat.

"WAH!" she hissed as she tried desperately to grab for something solid to hold onto. How could Albus do this to her? She loved him so much, and she thought he loved her. She stared up at him, her breathing becoming laboured. He had an evil smile plastered on his face. And that the last she saw of him. She began to sink into the deep, cold recesses of the lake. Her lungs were becoming immobilized, her head spinning. Though she saw nothing, she could hear laughing. It was deep, evil, menacing... demented!

Suddenly, Minerva began shaking violently. Some mysterious force had taken hold of her and was shaking her mercilessly.

----End Dream----

Minerva shot up in her bed and straight into the loving arms of Albus. She was shaking violently as he held her tight.

"Tabby, what is wrong?" he asked, worriedly as she began to cry uncontrollably.

"Oh, Albus," she sobbed into his beard. "It was... horrible. I dreamt... I dreamt that I went down to the lake to-to- meet you and... and..." It was in this manner she explained her whole dream to him. At first, she thought he might laugh at her forgetting so worked up over a dream. Instead, he only tightened his embrace.

"Oh, Minerva," he said when she was all done. "I am so sorry." He pulled back and, cupping her face with both hands, looked deeply into her beautiful green eyes. "I want you to know that I would never do anything to hurt you-ever! I love you too much to do anything to harm you. Please believe me."

"Of coarse I believe you, Albus," she smiled, covering his hands with hers. "I love you, too." She leaned forward, brushed her lips lightly against his, and then hugged him. And as this happened, Albus couldn't help but think of his dream, and how he had lied to her. He had said it had been his mother whom he had been crying out to, when, instead, it had been her.

"Minerva?" he whispered. "I have something to tell you."

"What is it, love?" Minerva asked, pulling back. Her sobs had subsided by now, leaving her eyes slightly red. Albus felt a twinge of guilt at keeping such information from her.

"Well, Minerva," he said, clearing his throat. "Do you remember when I told you about my dream? I told you it was my mother I was crying 'I love you' to?" Minerva nodded slowly. "Well, it wasn't my mother. It was you." Minerva looked at him, confused. So, Albus told her every aspect of his dream. He saw Minerva pale as his story cam to an end, her lips quivering.

"Albus, why didn't you tell me?" she asked, cupping his cheek. "I would've tried to help!" Albus chuckled.

"I was afraid, I suppose," he said. "Of what, I'm not sure." He sighed. "Well, please try to sleep, Tabby. You need your rest." He kissed her hand and made to stand up, but she wouldn't let him go. Instead, she held onto his hand tightly.

"Please don't go," she begged. "I don't want to be alone. Not tonight, at least. Please, Albus, please." Albus immediately caved in. The mixture of her lovely eyes, her scared voice, and the sudden vulnerability that even he had never seen before made her all the more alluring.

"Very well, my dear," he said, sitting next to her on the bed. They adjusted themselves so Minerva's head lay on Albus' chest. She sighed in content.

"Thank you, Albus," she purred. "This means a lot!" She looped her arms around his waist and he placed his arm around her.

"Anything for you, Minerva," he said, kissing the top of her head. "Sweet dreams, dear goddess of mine." They both closed their eyes and allowed sleep to take them. Needless to say, it was the first good nights sleep either of them had had in a long time.

**To Be Continued....**

A/N2: Okay peoples, perhaps I should give you a little guideline as to what my next chapters should be about. There will be attacks on a few of the other teachers in their dreams, thought I am not sure who those teachers shall be just yet. Then, Albus and Minerva shall be apart for some reason and Minerva shall be threatened. Then, they will figure out who the culprit is and there shall be a battle. Well... perhaps there will be a battle. I don't know yet. What do you guys think? I know this chapter was all gushy at the end, but I liked it. Hope you guys like it too. And, though I probably shouldn't tell you yet, I am thinking about having Minerva die at the end. I AM NOT SURE YET, THOUGH, SO PLEASE DO NOT BE ANGRY WITH ME YET!!!! I'll have to think about it some more. Later peeps! Always Hopeful


	6. Adam White

Disclaimer: Obviously, none of this is mine. So if you think that this is mine, other than this particular plot, then…. smack!

A/N: In case you haven't read my one shot or if you haven't read the authors note, then I should tell you that I have decided not to kill off Minerva because I am not that cruel to my muse. Hahaha. I hope you like this chapter.

"And you didn't think to come and tell ME?" cried Poppy the next morning. The teachers were in the Great Hall, eating breakfast, when her dream came up.

"It was late, Poppy, and I didn't want to disturb anyone else," protested Minerva.

"That's no excuse, Min, and you know it," scolded Poppy, standing up and walking over to her friend.

"Poppy, please don't scold me so," huffed Minerva. "I am not a child and you are not my mother."

"Ease off, Poppy," said Severus. "She's right, you know? She's an adult and can make her own bloody decisions."

"Thank you, Severus," said Minerva. It surprised her that Severus would be helping her, but she was very grateful to him. Poppy was just about to debate when they heard a screech. Everyone looked up to see a brown owl swoop through the air and land right in front of Minerva. Somewhat baffled, Minerva untied the letter and fed the owl a piece of bacon.

"Who is it from, Min?" asked Poppy as she took her seat again.

"I haven't the slightest idea," Minerva replied. Albus looked at the paper curiously. Minerva rarely received an owl from anyone. But as curious as he was, he knew how much Minerva hated having people read over her shoulder. So, he let her open the letter and read it herself.

As soon as Minerva read the letter, she began to pale horribly. This was not good; not good at all.

"Minerva, what is wrong, my dear?" Albus asked, worried. He placed his hand on her shoulder, causing her to jump slightly. "What is wrong?" Without saying a word, she got up from the table and looked at him.

"I'm so sorry, Albus," she said. "I should have told you sooner." Tears were in her eyes as she dropped the letter and ran from the Great Hall.

"Minerva!" Albus called. All the teachers sat there, confused. It wasn't until Poppy picked up the letter, read it, and gasped that there was even a sound.

"So, this is why," she hissed. "That snake!"

"What the bloody hell is it?" cried Severus. "You women are always keeping people in the dark."

"Shove it, Severus," spat Poppy. "This is important. Listen to this." She looked down at the letter and began to read aloud.

"'My dearest Minerva,

'My, it has been so many years, hasn't it? Though you may not have seen me since that horrible day so long ago, I have seen you every day. Do not ask how, but I do have my ways. You are still as beautiful as the day I last saw you. This reminds me, I am sorry for what I did. I'm sure you understand why I couldn't go through with it. I was young and stupid, as many young men are. And, I am ready to take full responsibility to pick up where we left off at.

'Oh, and not getting out of it. I still have our contract. Yours truly,

Adam White.

P.S. See you in my dreams."

The teachers were all silent.

"I still don't understand," Xiomara said furiously.

"No one but me would," sighed Poppy. Then, turning to Albus, she said, "Perhaps this would be easiest for you if it came from Minerva herself. I'll fill in the rest of the staff myself." Albus nodded and quickly went to Minerva's room.

"Minerva?" Albus called out as he entered her room. He found her at her window, staring into the distance. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her right shoulder.

"I can't believe he's back," she whispered. "I never thought I'd see him again. And now I wish I never would."

"Darling, who is he?" asked Albus. Minerva took a deep breath before beginning.

"Adam was…. _Is_ my fiancée," she said. Albus was stunned. He turned her around slowly and looked into her eyes.

"Your… fiancée?" he asked. Minerva nodded and looked down.

"You see, when I was eighteen years old, my parents arranged my marriage to him. Our families were long time friends, so it only seemed natural. At first, I didn't even like him. But he eventually won me over. I was crazy about him and would have followed him anywhere.

"To make it legally binding, our parents signed a contract, as did we. But on the day of our wedding, he was nowhere to be found. He took off because he couldn't handle the pressure. He broke my heart. A week later, someone said they'd found him… dead in a river. There was even a body to prove it. I, of course, was crushed.

"From then on, I've kept a high wall around my heart, making sure to let no one near it. Until you, of course," she added with a small smile. She looked up and stared at a saddened headmaster. Albus was shaking, his face was drained of color, and his bottom lip quivered.

"You-you… you mean, you must-." He couldn't finish his sentence; he was too afraid of the answer.

"Yes, Albus," said Minerva finally. "I must marry him. His family is too powerful to defy."

"What does that have to do with anything?" cried Albus. Minerva jumped, scared. Rarely had she ever heard him yell before and never with such anger or pain. "He left you at the alter! He's the one who broke the marriage contract! That bloody fool can't just leave and expect everything to fall back into place! The contract should be void, breaking your chains of imprisonment!" Tears were falling from both Minerva's and Albus' eyes. Albus got closer and cupped her face with both hands, speaking in a much quieter tone than before.

"I will not let you go, Minerva. You are too important to me and I will love you for the rest of my life."

"And I love you, Albus," Minerva replied. "And I don't wish to see you harmed. Adam is very powerful, as is his whole family. They have ways of influencing people to their advantage. I don't want to see anything happen to you or the school or the other teachers. You're all much too important to me; especially you. I couldn't bare the thought of losing you."

"You shall not lose me, my dear," said Albus, running his thumb over her bottom lip. "If you can find that contract for me, I swear on my life that I will find a way to get you out of this marriage."

"You'd really do that?" Minerva asked, looking up at him. Albus smiled slightly.

"Of coarse I would," he replied. "You're worth that and more." Minerva wrapped her arms around her neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Their lips cam close, each feeling the other's breath. Their hearts and their minds were racing, and they were so close when suddenly,

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?" The next thing either of them knew, they were being ripped apart and a man stood between the, his back to Minerva in an attempt to protect her from Albus. "Leave her alone, you bloody bastard!" Albus was stormed, but kept a cool face.

"You must be Mr. White."

"Yes, what of it?" the man growled. He had sandy colored hair and brown eyes. Standing at about six-foot-one-inch, he was still rather muscular for his age. He wore a set of navy blue robes; undoubtedly very expensive.

"Nice to meet you, sir," said Albus politely. "I am Albus Dumbledore."

"Yes, yes, I know all about you," Adam grumbled. "I know of all the women who throw themselves at your feet. How many of them warm your bed at night is your business, but not her." He pointed behind him to Minerva, who was growing angrier by the second. How dare he barge in here and insult Albus like this? Albus clenched his teeth.

"I can assure you that I have had no woman in my bed ever in my lifetime," he said. "I treat all of them with the utmost respect to which they deserve; especially Minerva. And that is more than I can say for you, _sir_."

"What is that supposed to mean?" barked Adam.

"It is not appropriate, nor is it respectable, to just barge into a woman's bedroom unannounced or without her permission," growled Albus in a dangerously low voice.

"And kissing her when she isn't your fiancée is?" shot Adam.

"STOP!" cried Minerva as she stepped in between the fighting wizards and put her hands up. She looked from on to the other until finally resting her eyes upon Adam. "If you are going to behave like a child, do it outside." Turning to Albus, she said, "Let me talk with him for just a moment alone, please." Albus sighed and reluctantly nodded.

"Alright, Minerva, if that is your wish," he breathed. He bowed, not wanting Adam to grow angrier at the sight of them kissing, and left.

"Finally!" breathed Adam, spinning Minerva around and holding her close. "I thought he'd never leave!" He pressed his lips roughly against hers. Minerva struggled and beat against him, finally forcing herself from his grasp.

"Don't you dare do that again," she said in a dangerous voice. "You can't just waltz right into my life again and expect to just pick up where we left off at. Adam, I've moved on with my life. I thought you were dead. There was even a body."

"Yes, I thought that was a great touch," he smiled. "It's good to be skilled in all areas of magic, including Transfiguration. Wouldn't you agree, Minzie?" Minerva shivered.

"You know how much I hate that nickname," she hissed. "Well, if that wasn't your body, then whose was it?"

"I don't really know," Adam shrugged, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Just some guy I found. He was already dead, so I figured he could buy me some time to think things out."

"Well, you took too much time," hissed Minerva. "I don't love you anymore. I am deeply in love with Albus, and he loves me."

"Minerva, we have an iron-clad contract," sneered Adam. "There is no getting out of it." He pulled out a parchment and handed it to her. She read it and then placed them in her robes.

"I'll keep this," she said. "And until we are married, I'll ask you to stay out of my room." She walked over to the door, opened it, and motioned for Adam to leave. He merely smiled, shrugged, and walked out. Just after Minerva slammed the door in his face, she could hear him say,

"You can't escape me, no matter where you are or what you're doing!"

"Leave me alone, Adam!" She quickly cast a locking spell on her door and went over to the fireplace. Hopefully, Albus was in his office. She needed to talk to him.

A/N2: There is my newest addition to this story. First of all, sorry if it super sucks but I wrote this chapter while I was at school, so I wasn't totally into it. Second of all, I know this may seem like it's coming completely from left field, but I promise you it'll all tie in. Just so you don't think I decided to do a wronskei feint in crazyville, okay? Hope you guys liked this chapter. Always Hopeful


	7. A Way Out

Disclaimer: I own nothing that has already been created in the mind of J.K. Rowling.

A/N: If this chapter should really suck, I'm sorry. But I am not prewriting it before typing it out. Just a little FYI, in case you do not find this up to what I usually do.

Minerva had decided to keep up the charade of staying in her room, so Adam would not try and bother her, and, making absolute sure that the door was locked, transformed into her cat form. Opening the window, she jumped to the nearby tree branch that sat just below it and climbed gracefully down the trunk. She thought it was better that no one knew where she was for a while, that way nothing was to slip in Adam's presence.

She sprinted across the grounds of Hogwarts, using her cat-like reflexes to her advantage. Despite her age, she was still able to run with great speed, much like when she first became a registered animagus.

She ran to the great lake, the one place she had always found to be most peaceful. The sun shone down brightly upon the water, bouncing off and revealing everything in its surroundings. Minerva finally halted when she was at the docks edge. She looked down into the water, seeing the mirrored image of her feline form. Then, slowly but surely, she transformed into her human form, watching as her reflection did as she did.

It was a rather hot day in late June, and Minerva could feel the heat beat down upon her. She began to perspire quite a bit, so she made up her mind to take off her boots and stick her feet into the lake. She did not worry about the giant squid or any of the occupants of the lake, for they knew better than to mess with a teacher from the school. So, she gracefully unlaced her boots, her fingers nimble, and stuck her feet into the pond. The cool water certainly felt good against her hot skin. Closing her eyes and leaning back slightly, she began to think about everything that had happened in the past few hours. She thought of Adam, and his plan to continue with the wedding. She thought of the other teachers, and what they might think. Then, she thought of Albus.

She could not believe how well he was taking the whole situation. True, he was not taking it well. After all, how can he? On the other hand, he made no attempts on Adam's life, which had to count for something. Right?

The sweat continued to pour down her face. Looking around, Minerva noticed a small slope that lead to the edge of the water. So, she stood and, leaving her boots on the dock, walked down to the where the water met the grass. She then removed her hat and every pin that kept her bun in tact. Her hair fell down her back, reaching all the way down her back, stopping just above her butt.

She leant forward and dipped her hair into the water, feeling the weight of her hair increase as it soaked each molecule. But she didn't care, because it felt so good. She lowered her head until she could feel the top of her head hit the cold. And it felt good!

Albus poured over book after book in the library, tossing each one aside almost as fast as he pulled them from the shelf. This disturbed Madam Pince, the librarian, quite a bit, but she said nothing. She knew, no matter how crazy, Albus was the headmaster and probably had his reasons for acting like a complete lunatic.

Albus had gone through nearly every single pre-law and intermediate law book in the library, angry that his search would result without much information. He was about to leave when he noticed a thin, black book that rested between a thick red one and the side of the shelf. The red book was a book on infamous wizard songs throughout history. But the black book just seemed to be misplaced. He didn't know why, but something just didn't seem right in its location.

He pulled it from its spot and read the cover. This caught his attention immediately, and his heart began to race. Could this be it? The cover read, _Laws of Marriages: Arranged and Self-Chosen._ Albus quickly opened to the table of contents and smiled. His eyes widened when he read _Broken Vows and Contracts… page 93._ He opened to page 93 and felt his heart fly around in his chest. He knew how to get Minerva out of her arranged marriage. Snapping the book shut, he ran to Madam Pince, showed her the book, and, without waiting for her to punch it out, raced out of the library. He had to find Minerva and tell her the good news.

"Minerva!"

Minerva tensed when she heard Adam's voice from behind her. Quickly pulling her hair out of the water, she stared at him icily.

"What do you want, Adam?" she asked.

"I do love your hair, Minzie," he said, walking up to her and holding a strand of her hair. She quickly slapped his hand away and, muttering a drying charm, stood and walked onto the dock to retrieve her boots.

"Please leave me alone, Adam," she hissed. "I do not want to speak with you."

"That was pretty clever of you," smiled Adam, following her. "Leaving your door locked and climbing out the window, I mean. And if I hadn't been sitting behind the bush when you did so, I never would have seen you. Too bad, Minzie, but perhaps next time."

"Good, you've proven to have eyes and a mouth, but I sense you don't have ears, for you have not heard a word I just said. Stay away from me until such a time when I am forced to see you."

"You know, Minerva, you really should learn to respect men more. Now I can see why you have not been married, for no man could hope to be respected when around you." Minerva began to grow even angrier than before.

"How dare you talk about my lack of a love life when you don't even know what it's like to love another?" she hissed. "In fact, I have loved Albus for years, and so has he, and-,"

"And he never made a move because of your stupid opinions and lack of respect for a man. You forget where your place is as a woman." He was now right next to her, watching her finish the knot on her boots and standing up.

"And where might that be?" she growled.

"In the kitchen," he replied. Minerva slapped him straight across the face, emitting a loud sound as her hand met with his cheek. She turned to walk away when Adam, in a rage, grabbed her from behind and picked her up, kicking and screaming.

"Let me go, Adam, let me go!" she shouted, smacking him as best she could. She pulled out her wand to attack, but he immediately slapped it out of her hand with one hand before placing it back around her waist.

"Not until you learn respect for those superior to you!" he growled.

"Well, of all the male-chauvinistic things-," began Minerva. But she was interrupted when Adam suddenly dropped her. She turned around and saw Albus standing behind Adam, his right hand facing the wizard, causing him enough pain to fall to his knees.

"Minerva does not give respect unless she receives it first," he growled angrily. "Do not treat her with such indignity." Then, he released his hold of Adam and walked over to Minerva worriedly. "Are you alright, my dear?" Minerva nodded and looked down at her waist.

"Nothing permanent, just a small pain," she said.

"Minerva, I need to talk with you in private," Albus smiled. He turned to Adam, who was standing up again. "Unless, of course, Mr. White here disapproves?" Adam, not wanting to give Albus the chance to show off his power again, shook his head solemnly.

"Go ahead, Albus," he said. "You won't get many of these meetings with Minerva again. At least, not while she is single." He smiled rather devishly before turning and looking upon the water. Albus took Minerva by the arm and quickly lead her back to the castle. He wanted to share with her his findings.

Once inside her bedroom, Minerva locked the door once again and turned to Albus.

"So, what is it that you wanted to discuss with me, Albus?" she asked.

"Minerva, I've found the way to get you out of this marriage," he said excitedly. "Actually, I've found two."

"Albus, that is wonderful," squealed Minerva, hugging him tightly. "I am forever in your debt. Now, what are they?" She pulled back and looked at him.

"Well, the first one, I don't really think is likely to happen anytime soon," he said, pulling out the book. "The first one says that someone has to die." Minerva frowned.

"Well, I wouldn't mind if he died," she smiled. Albus looked at her over his half moon spectacles.

"Now, Minerva," he smiled. "You have a way of taking the words right out of my mouth." They both chuckled slightly. Then, he looked back down at the book and sighed heavily. "The second one is a bit more…interesting. If it can be found that one of the intended has engaged in an infidelity, the contract shall therefore be null and void, releasing both parties from their duties." He looked at Minerva, waiting for his words to sink in.

"So, you're telling me, in order to get out of this marriage, I need to be unfaithful?" she asked, eyebrows raised to almost her hairline. Albus shrugged.

"Or, you could always kill Adam," he suggested. They both smiled.

"Well, as tempting as that option sounds," said Minerva, stepping closer to Albus, "I think I like option number two better." Albus chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I was hoping you'd say that…"

A/N2: Okay, there you go. I have come up with two possible ways for Minerva to get out of this situation. But that doesn't mean Adam is going to give up so easily, now, does it? What will he do? DUN DUN DUN. I guess you will just have to wait for the next chapter to find out.


	8. Confessions

Disclaimer: I do not own anything that deals with Harry Potter, as you must know. I mean, after all, how could it? It is all the imaginication of the talented J.K. Rowling! Duh!

A/N: I want to thank all those who have reviewed to my story, including ginger newts, Intelligent Witch, and all the rest. I don't remember the names, but thank you anyway! I promise anyone I have forgotten will be thanked in the next chapter. I promise!

The next morning, Minerva awoke in the loving arms of Albus. If the situation had been different, she would have been absolutely terrified at the thought of premarital relations with a man, even if he was the handsome Albus Dumbledore. But not only did she love the man who was now holding her, but now she could be absolutely certain of getting out of that marriage with Adam. She thought of the previous night and how exciting and beautiful she felt.

----The Night Before----

_"I was hoping you'd say that…" said Albus. He pulled Minerva in closer to him and kissed her on the lips. The kiss was gentle at first, but didn't remain gentle for long. Their lips parted, Minerva placed her arms around Albus' neck, and he held on tightly to her waist. When they pulled away, he rested his forehead against hers and smiled. Then, he frowned._

_"Minerva, my love, I do hope you're ready," he said. "After all, I know where you stand on having relations-," He was silenced when she placed the tips of her fingers on his lips and smiled seductively._

_"I wouldn't worry, darling," she said. "I love you and, despite what you might be thinking, I know I won't regret this." She kissed him again. Albus smiled._

_"Prove it," he said. For the better part of the night, Minerva did._

--------

And now, she lay there, happy. Albus' arm draped over stomach, gripped gently yet firmly. She thought for a while, before feeling as though someone was watching her. She turned slowly to see Albus staring at her, the twinkle in his eye.

"You know, your beautiful face relaxes quite a bit when you are sleeping," he commented.

"I was having a good dream," Minerva replied. "How long have you been awake?"

"Long enough to watch you sleep for about five minutes," replied Albus. "I hope you enjoyed yourself last night."

"Quite," smiled Minerva. "Now all we need to do is find some way of telling Adam and have him believe us." Albus thought a moment before answering.

"If my assumptions are correct, he should be here any moment," he said. Minerva looked at him, rather confused.

"How do you know?" she inquired. Albus chuckled slightly.

"We have known each other for so many decades, and you still can't seem to remember that I hold within my person the ability to invade people's thoughts?" he inquired. "He is directly outside your door at this very moment, and something tells me that he is not going to knock."

These words had hardly left his lips when the door to Minerva's private rooms and the sound of footsteps could be heard. It was a mere seconds before they heard a sharp intake of breath.

"What the bloody hell is going on in here?" Adam shouted, rushing to the foot of the bed and staring at the couple in the bed with a shocked and pained expression on his face. He looked from one to the other until he finally rested his eyes on Minerva. "What is the meaning of this, Minzie?" Minerva sat up in bed, the sheet covering her entire body, with the exception of her arms and shoulders.

"I would have thought it was obvious, Adam," she said, a huge grin on her face. "Or do I need to explain something to you that is so simple, a child would understand it?" Adam just gaped at her and didn't regain his ability to speak until Albus, too, sat up and wrapped his arm around Minerva's shoulders.

"This is- this is most-," stammered Adam. "I just- no, this cannot be happening." Then, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and tried to control his breathing. Opening his eyes again, he looked at his fiancée. "I should have expected you to do something rash, I just never expected you to do something totally horrible such as this. You are lucky that I am a very forgiving man. If you get out of that bed right now and beg for forgiveness, I just might grant it to you. But I will have you know that you shall be under constant supervision from now on and until our wedding."

"No, Adam," said Minerva, her eyes now cold. He looked at her.

"What did you say?" he growled.

"There is not going to be a wedding, Adam," she frowned. "As I have told you before, I love Albus, not you. I tried and tried to tell you, but you wouldn't listen."

"So you go to him?" hissed Adam. "Minerva, you are trying my patience. Get out of that bed now."

"NO!" shouted Minerva.

"WE HAVE A CONTRACT!" Adam cried, pulling out the contract. Minerva stared at it for a few minutes and then smiled as it disintegrated in his hand. Adam just stared at the empty space that now occupied where the contract had been a mere seconds earlier.

"Not anymore, Adam," she said. "If you knew the laws of arranged marriages, you'd know that an infidelity will result in an immediate cancellation of the contract."

"I'll… just get another one," said Adam.

"That is not possible," said Albus. "You need the signature of both sets of parents."

"I'll… simply… forge the signatures," stammered Adam.

"That's illegal, Adam, and you know it," sneered Minerva.

"This is not over yet," drawled Adam, pulling out his wand.

"Put it away," smiled Albus. "I don't think you'll want to suffer a beating from me."

"You don't understand," said Adam through gritted teeth. With a swish of his wand, both Minerva and Albus were fully clothed and all three of them had been taken from the room and to a plain field. It was simple in that there was nothing but dirt all around them. Adam continued to talk.

"Do these seem to be familiar?" he inquired. Then, with another swish of his wand, scenes from both Minerva and Albus' dreams began to dance before them in the air. They gasped; Albus wrapped his arms around Minerva while she buried her face in his beard. Adam just smiled.

"You see, as soon as I realized that there was another man pining for Minerva's affections, I knew that I had to come to Hogwarts and find out that it was," Adam smiled. "When I discovered it was the infamous Albus Dumbledore, I was shocked to say the least. When I sense that you two were becoming too close, I knew I had to do something. So I created the quick diversion of Colin's dream."

"So, it was-."

"Yes, Minerva, I did it! I have been causing these dreams to happen!"

A/N2: OOOHHHH! What will happen to Minerva, Albus, and Adam? Stay tuned, kiddies, for the next exciting chapter in "Music of the Night!" Muahahahaha! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! coughhackfurballcough! Hehehe, hairball! Always Hopeful


	9. Adam Vs Minerva

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, so don't even ask!

A/N: I just wanted to thank all those who have reviewed, including Quill of Minerva, ginger newts, Hogwarts Duo, Intelligent Witch 1, Lenora (yes, you Len Len!), and all the rest!

Minerva couldn't believe what she was hearing. It had been Adam all along, and she had never even thought to consider him.

"Adam how could you?" she hissed.

"Easy," smiled Adam. "All I had to do was to enter your dreams and transform your dreams into nightmares. It was quite simple. I was hoping those nightmares might scare you off, but it appears I was wrong."

"Put the wand down, White!" Albus commanded, standing in front of Minerva. He knew that Minerva could probably defend herself, should the need rise, but he didn't want to take any chances. "It will be bad enough that you have barged into the dreams of others, including an innocent seventeen year old boy, without adding murder to the list!"

"There will be no murder, if Minerva will just sign a new contract for our marriage," replied Adam.

"She shall do no such thing," spat Albus. "She'd sooner-,"

"Let her speak for herself!" cried Adam. He looked around Albus and saw Minerva's cold eyes. She frowned and shook her head solemnly.

"You see?" cried Albus. "She does not want to marry you!" Adam's lower lip quivered.

"No, no!" He looked icily at Albus. "You brainwashed her, didn't you?"

"HA!" cried Albus. "If you know Minerva, you'll know that she is too strong a person to let anyone brainwash her." Adam thought for a moment, anger evident in his eyes.

"Alright, I'll make you both a deal," he said. "Minerva, if you really don't want to marry me, then duel with me! If I win, a new contract shall be formed, and we are to wed in one week."

"And if _I_ win?" inquired Minerva. She folded her arms and raised her eyebrows.

"Then I leave you and Albus to live alone, together forever, and ne'er return," Adam replied.

"Is that a promise?" asked Minerva.

"Of course," said Adam. "I've been called many things, but liar has never been one of them." Minerva looked at Albus and nodded. He turned to face her, kissed her on her lips, and respectfully stepped aside. Surely, he did not want to see her fight; but he knew better than to express his concerns to her. She was a very stubborn woman and would never back out of a challenge- as long as it didn't endanger the lives of her family or friends.

"Wands at the ready," prompted Minerva. They both placed their wands in front of their faces, and then quickly brought them down again. Then, turning, they both walked ten paces in either direction and faced each other.

"1…2…3!" A ray of black light emitted from Adam's wand while a ray of red light spit from Minerva's wand as each cast a spell. They just bounced off each other, Minerva's spell flying into the air and Adam's plunging into the ground. For the next several minutes, spells were being fired as quickly as the two could think of them.

"Stupify!"

"Expelliarmus!"

"Infringo!"

"Potrificus Totalous!"

All the while, Albus was fighting an internal battle. Should he aid Minerva and risk her Scottish temper later on, or should he stay out of this and let her battle it out. Either way, the outcome didn't seem too appealing. Then, he decided that he should help her. After all, he'd rather have her live and yell at him than to have her die, thinking he wouldn't have helped her if he had the chance. Pulling out his wand, he prepared himself to enter the battlefield when he saw a spell hit Minerva in the shoulder.

"AAAHHH!" she cried, grabbing at it in pain.

"Minerva!" he cried. He made to head for her, but she held up her hand.

"Stay where you are, Albus!" she commanded. Adam called out a curse, and Minerva narrowly escaped it, rolling on the floor. Standing quickly, she ignored the pain that was now searing through the left side of her body and called out a curse. This hit Adam in the right leg, causing him to fall to the ground, his leg twitching violently.

"Minerva, please let me help you!" pleaded Albus. Minerva just shook her head and kept her gaze on Adam. She then drew back her wand for one final strike, but immediately fell to the ground, convulsing as she had done the day she had watched her students leave from the platform. Albus rushed to her side and held her in his arms.

"Minerva, please don't do this!" he cried. It was then that she stopped convulsing, and Albus could see the life literally draining from her eyes. Tears fell down his cheeks as he saw her face pale, and her eyes drain from her eyes. The sound of evil laughter forced him to look upon Adam once more. His leg had stopped twitching, but he was still lying on the ground.

"You're too late, Dumbledore!" he said. "I told you I'd make you suffer! If I can't have her, then neither can you!"

"Bloody bastard!" Albus cried, pulling out his wand and pointing it at Adam. He was now crying violently. "Don't do this to me! Don't do this to Minerva! If you kill her, I shall kill you too!"

"And then what?" laughed Adam. "She'll be dead, I'll be dead, and you'll be in Azkaban, awaiting the dementors kiss! A perfect ending for Albus Dumbledore, don't you think?" Albus then held his hand up and, not even using his wand, brought Adam up to his face.

"I'll give you one last chance!" he said through gritted teeth. "Don't take Minerva away from either of us. If you kill her, she won't be able to come back." Then, as if he expected Adam to feel sympathetic, he added, "I am begging you, please." Adam stared at him, a smile on his face. Then, he looked towards Minerva, the life nearly gone from her completely.

"What's in it for me?" he asked, not even looking at Albus.

"My word that I will not kill you slowly and painfully with my own two hands," replied Albus in a dangerously low voice. Adam looked at him. His eyes were a mixture of nervousness and attempted humor.

"You wouldn't kill me," he said. Then, he frowned. "Would you?"

"Try me," hissed Albus. With a flick of a wand, life began to pour into Minerva's face once again. Slowly, she began to convulse again, this time more violently than ever before. Thirty seconds later, her body lay limp on the ground. Albus dropped Adam on the ground and placed a locking charm on his legs before running to his lover.

"Minerva, please stay with me," he pleaded. He prayed that Minerva could hear him. "I love and need you. Please don't leave me like this!"

Minerva did, indeed, hear him. But his voice began to fade as his outline became fuzzy and everything began to go dark. She was slipping rapidly into the dark nothing of the unconscious. Another few seconds and she could no longer hear or see him…

A/N2: There it is. I hope you liked that chapter. One more chapter to go! Well, maybe two. It depends on how I feel! Well, will she die or will she live? You'll have to find out soon enough! Always Hopeful


	10. Music Of The Night

Disclaimer: I own nothing dealing with Harry Potter or whatever it is that I am supposed to say in this disclaimer thingie! Yeah! Woot!

A/N: Well, I do not know whether or not this shall be my last chapter, but I'll let you know by the end of this chapter. Okay? I guess we'll just have to see how this one goes and then I shall decide what to do after that! Oh, and I am now on Christmas Break, so hopefully I can be a little more generous with my updates. I'm not promising anything, but I will surely try! Now THAT I promise.

Albus paced in the hall, glancing at the hospital wing door every few seconds. What was taking Poppy so long? It had been three and a half hours since he had brought Minerva in from the battle field, and Poppy hadn't said anything to him for just over two hours. What was going on in there? Whatever it was, he knew that Minerva must still be alive. She was one strong witch, and he was well aware of that.

He leaned against a nearby wall, thinking of nothing else but the woman he loved. He thought about Adam, and how he was to receive the dementors kiss for what he had done. He thought of how limp Minerva was when he carried her through the halls of Hogwarts, praying with each step he took that she would be alright. And the more he thought of her, the more he felt like hexing himself into the next millennium for letting her fight with Adam. He should have be the wizard everyone said he was and fought him for her. His thoughts were soon interrupted when he heard the infirmary door open. He looked over to see the tired face of Poppy. Almost immediately, he was right in front of her, a scared look in his eyes.

"How is she, Poppy?" he asked. He was almost afraid on what the answer might be. It could easily be the last thing he would want to hear. But his heart soared when he saw her give a slight, weary smile.

"She's just fine, Albus," she said, exhaustion evident in her voice. Then, she frowned slightly. "But she will need to rest for a few nights. She will stay in St. Mungo's for a while. Nothing permanent, of course, just for two or three days while the healers keep an eye on her and run some tests on her." Albus was so happy and relieved that Minerva would not die that he pulled Poppy into a huge hug and thanked her repeatedly for doing such a fantastic job. She smiled at him and said, "you're welcome" and that she was glad to help.

"May I go in and see her now?" asked Albus. He was anxious to see her. But Poppy simply shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Albus, but she's already been transferred to St. Mungo's. You can visit her tomorrow, when visitors will be allowed." Albus nodded solemnly, thanked her again, and walked slowly back to his room. He had much to think about and he wanted to be alone.

(A/N: See? I promised I wouldn't kill her, didn't I? And I always stick to my promises. I would never kill Minerva if I said I wouldn't! K, back to the story! Always Hopeful)

The next day, Albus went to St. Mungo's in the hopes of seeing his beloved Minerva. When he got there, he was immediately shown in by the head nurse. When he walked in, Minerva lay on the hospital bed, sleeping. Her hair lay sprawled against the pillow, softening her features. Albus' heart ached when he thought of how he had almost lost this beautiful woman. He walked quietly to the side of her bed, smiling. She was dressed in her own green robes. He smiled when he thought of the last time she had been stuck in the hospital. She had been hit with four stunners to the chest and had made a fuss that she hated the hospital gowns. Apparently, she hadn't let them take her own gowns without a fight.

He sat down next to her bed and stared at her face. He traced her jaw lines with a finger as if trying to memorize everything about her. But he knew that he didn't have to; He already new every line, every curve, and every hair on her head. He finally rested his hand on hers and squeezed it. It felt so soft, like satin.

"Albus?" Minerva opened her eyes and smiled. "I'm so glad you came. What happened?" Albus sighed.

"Darling, you won the duel with Adam," he replied. "You don't have to marry him!" They both smiled.

"That is great," breathed Minerva. Then, she frowned. "How did I get here?" Albus kissed her hand.

"Adam almost killed you. It took a lot of work, but Poppy had managed to help you. When I saw you fading, I almost killed Adam myself. I was so scared that I had lost you, and I wanted Adam to know the kind of pain I was feeling. I didn't want to lose you just when I had found you." Minerva squeezed his hand.

"I'm glad you didn't," she said. "If you did, I would've lost you to the dementors as well. And I wouldn't want to lose you, either." Albus bent over and kissed her softly on the lips. Although he wanted to kiss her with all the passion he felt inside, he did not want to harm her in any way. So, he pulled back before it could get too intense. "I'm glad you came to see me, Albus."

"So am I, Minerva," said Albus. "So am I." They spent the better part of the day there; Albus was sitting, Minerva was lying down, and they just stared at each other, every now and then making non-important comments.

It wasn't until two days later that Minerva was finally allowed to go back to the castle. Albus was thrilled to see Minerva walking down the halls of Hogwarts, good as new. A week went by, and Albus grew anxious. While she was in the hospital, he had decided that he wanted to ask her to marry him. He had it all planned out, and now he just had to carry it out. That was why he was so nervous, because he planned on telling her on her birthday, which was that night.

First, he would take her out on a moonlit walk around the lake. Then, he would surprise her with a romantic dinner under the stars. After a bit of dancing, he would ask her. What happened after that would be entirely up to her, though he was fairly confident in the answer. At seven o' clock, after much stressing over how he would phrase the proposal, he picked up the black velvet box, which held his grandmothers wedding ring, and made his way nervously toward Minerva's private bedroom.

"Just a minute!" Albus took the last few seconds he had to quickly smooth out any wrinkles in his robes, which were a nice dark purple with silver moons and stars on the sleeves and collar. He had hardly run his fingers through his beard two or three times before the door opened. His eyes grew big and there was a sharp intake of breath. There, in front of him, was Minerva, looking more radiant and more magical than he could remember seeing her in a long time. She wore a set of bright blue robes which hugged all the right spots and flared at the end of the sleeves and at the bottom.

"Minerva, my dear, you look absolutely stunning," he said. She spun around and Albus smiled at the sight of her hair, which she had left down, fly around with her.

"I was hoping you'd like it," she said. Albus held out his arm and she took it.

"So, are you ever going to tell me where we are going tonight?" she inquired as they exited the great doors.

"Not far," Albus replied. "In fact, we're staying right here on the grounds. I figured, since the other teachers all had pre-arranged plans, we'd just stay here at Hogwarts for the night." Minerva looked at him curiously.

"Well then I should've stayed in my usual robes," she teased. "After all, I thought you wanted to show me off." Albus chuckled.

"We'll have plenty of time for that later," he said. "How about we start off with a simple walk around the lake?"

"Sounds good," smiled Minerva. For about half an hour, they just walked around the lake, talking about anything and everything that came to mind. They even talked about Adam and how glad they were that he was no longer apart of their lives. Then, they talked about the stars, and how this was the perfect night for a walk.

"This has definitely been a wonderful first date, Albus," Minerva smiled as they completed what felt like their hundredth lap around the reflecting water.

"But wait, my dear, there is more," smiled Albus. He nodded his head to the dock and smiled at the expression on Minerva's face. Her mouth dropped when she saw a small table set for two, with a white table cloth and two candles in the center.

"Oh, Albus, that looks absolutely divine," she said. "I can't believe you went to all this trouble," she said. He placed his arm around her shoulders.

"Don't think about it," he said. They sat down and began to eat. The meal consisted of all of Minerva's favorite seafood, which really pleased her. They talked and laughed about various things that they just didn't seem to get to on their walk. At the end, Minerva dabbed at the corner of her mouth with her napkin before placing it on her plate.

"Ah, Albus, you have definitely outdone yourself."

"And this night is not over yet," smiled Albus. With the wave of his hand, music drifted into the air. It was not a song Minerva recognized, but it was definitely the most beautiful she had heard in a while. Albus stood and offered his hand to her, which she readily took.

_Night-time sharpens,   
Heightens each sensation . . .  
Darkness stirs and wakes imagination.  
Silently the senses abandon their defenses  
Helpless to resist the notes I write  
For I composed the music of the night!_

Minerva and Albus danced around gracefully, as if floating. In fact, it was a while before Minerva even looked down and noticed that they _were_ floating. She tightened her grip around his neck. Albus smiled and pulled her in closer, happy for the chance to hold her close to him. She looked up into his eyes, smiled warmly, and laid her head on his shoulder.

_Slowly, gently   
Night unfurls its splendor.  
Grasp it, sense it tremulous and tender.  
Hearing is believing, music is deceiving,  
Hard as lightning, soft as candle light,_

_Dare you trust the music of the night... _

"Minerva?"

"Hmm?" Minerva asked, head still on his chest and eyes closed.

"Are you happy here, with me?" Albus asked. Minerva looked up at him, confusion on her face.

"Of coarse I am, Albus," she said, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I am very happy that I am with you. I love you very much, and am so glad that I can share all this time with you." Albus smiled and kissed her on her forehead.

"Good. I love you too." _This is it, Albus old boy,_ he thought to himself. _It's now or never!_ He took a deep breath and, after bringing them back down to the dock, pulled back and got down on one knee. "Minerva?"

_Close your eyes,   
For your eyes will only tell the truth,_

_And the truth isn't what you want to see.  
In the dark it is easy to pretend  
That the truth is what it ought to be...  
Softly,_

_Deafening,_

_Music shall caress you._

_Hear it,_

_Feel it,_

_Secretly posses you_

Minerva's mind began swimming. Was he doing what she thought he was doing?

"Yes, Albus?" she asked. Her heart began beating faster when she saw him pull out a small black box from the inside of his robes.

"I know this is rather fast, yet it's almost too late at the same time. And now, I want to ask you before anything else happens that could possibly ruin my ability to ask you this. Minerva, will you marry me?"

_Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind,  
In this darkness which you know you cannot fight,  
The darkness of the music of the night..._

Close your eyes start a journey through a strange new world  
Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before!  
Close your eyes and let music set you free!

Only then can you belong to me... 

Floating (floating), falling (falling)  
Sweet intoxication!  
Touch me (touch me), trust me (trust me)  
Savour each sensation!

Let the dream begin,  
Let your darker side give in  
To the power of the music that I write,  
The power of the music of the night!

_  
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah...   
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah...  
Ah-ah-ah...  
Aaaaaaaaaah...oooh..._

_You alone can make my song take flight,  
Help me make the music of the night... _

_  
Help me make the music of the night..._

Minerva gasped when she heard this question. She couldn't believe this was happening to her. Albus Dumbledore, the man she had secretly loved for so many decades, was now asking her to marry him. She couldn't stop the tears from falling. She was just too happy.

"Of course, I will Albus," she smiled. "I will marry you." Albus quickly pulled out the ring, one with two diamonds and two sapphires alternating, placed it on her finger, and kissed her passionately. This was definitely a night to remember.

A/N2: There it is. I hope you liked it. I was thinking about adding another chapter, perhaps their wedding, but I do not know. Let me know what you think. So, please review and let me know if it was good and if you want another chapter or not! Love you guys. Yes, I am talking to you, my reviewers! Keep it up. Always Hopeful


	11. Epilogue

Disclaimer: Okay, you know the dealio. Read and review, cuz I would really appreciate it! Especially since I do not own anything that is the amazing J.K. Rowling's.

A/N: Well, it seems to me that people wouldn't mind an epilogue. So, I shall add this little tidbit for those of you who are interested. Love ya all! And sorry this chapter is so short, but I am idealess and I thought it best not to drag it out or anything. You understand, right?

"Minerva… Minerva…" The deputy headmistress woke slowly to the sound of her name being called softly. As her vision cleared, she saw the face of her maid of honor Poppy. "Minerva, it's time." Once the words registered, Minerva jumped out of bed and faced Poppy.

"Oh my gosh, it's today, isn't it?" he cried, a worried look upon her face. Poppy nodded and they both smiled.

"Congratulations, Min, you're getting married today!" she shouted. She jumped up and down and then hugged Minerva tight. "You and Albus are getting married!" Minerva smiled broadly and hugged her friend back. Then, she pulled back and looked at her friend.

"Poppy, what time is it?" she asked.

"Just past eight," Poppy replied. Minerva's eyes grew wide.

"Oh, we have to hurry," she said, rushing to the bathroom. Poppy followed her, picking up the bathrobe her friend threw off. "The ceremony is in five hours and I'm going to need all morning to get ready." When she entered the bathroom, she found Sylvia already in there.

"That's why we're here," she said, holding up a comb and a blow dryer. "Poppy, get the make-up bag…"

Albus Dumbledore stood in front of the Great Hall, where several of their friends and family had gathered. Even Collin Creevy was there, with the Golden Trio and the rest of the Weasly clan. And yet, somehow, their presence didn't seem to comfort him much. He knew he loved Minerva and that she loved him, but he was still scared.

Yes, he, Albus Dumbledore, defeater of Grindlewald, was scared. This was, as he had always heard, the most horrifying experience in his life. Then, the music blared and he knew that this was it… in just less than an hour, he would have the woman he loved by his side, as his wife.

Minerva couldn't believe it. She was now Mrs. Albus Dumbledore… the title she had wanted for so many years. And now that she had it, she felt like she could fly- without the use of a broom.

As the ceremony came to a close, Albus took her hand and pulled her outside and into the front courtyard. There, in the center, was a giant hippogriff, standing proud. Albus quickly and gently lifted her up on its back before climbing on himself.

"Here ya' are, Professor Dumbledore," said Hagrid, handing Albus reigns. It had made Hagrid uncomfortable at first to find that the Headmaster wanted the reigns attached to Greyfeather, Buckbeak's brother, but consented to it anyway. It was, after all, his wedding day, so Hagrid didn't think to oppose him.

"Thank you, Hagrid," Albus smiled. "Be sure to take care of Fawkes while I am gone."

"Aye, that I'll do, Professor," said Hagrid. He waved to him and nodded at Minerva. "Have fun, Professor McGonagall." Minerva had just enough time to smile before Greyfeather took off, taking them away to Paris for a week.

**Finalmente…**

A/N2: Okay, NOW this is the end. No more… finite. Well, keep an eye out for any other fics I am doing. Enough for this story. Loves to all my reviewers! I am, now and forever more, your devoted writer, Always Hopeful


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